How to wash your linen items
We all have multiple linen items in your homes, made from a variety of fabrics and textures. Some we might use daily such as towels and tablecloths. Others we slide up to nightly, such as pillows, sheets, bedding, doonas and blankets.
Our trusty woollen jumpers are brought out on cold days to keep us warm and silk fabric may feel sensational against our skin. It’s important to take care of our fabrics and possessions to ensure they keep their shape, texture and also so they last for as long as possible.
It can be easy just to throw it all in the wash together, but there are a few helpful hints to help you maximise their use. Firstly, always keep light and dark colours separate, especially your whites.
I once turned several white items red in a haste to wash everything at once! Whoops!
Never over load your washing machine, no matter how tempting it is to get those last few items in. Nothing really gets washed this way and you run the risk of actually damaging your clothes too.
Here are a few easy-to-follow guidelines to help you take care of some of the key lined items in your home.
- Bed Sheets
We sleep on our beds every night, safely snuggled in the sheets.
Sometimes we sweat, toss turn and have intimate encounters.
With all this in mind, its ‘advised we should wash our bedding once a week.
Wash them on the normal/regular cycle with cold water to stop them fading.
Allow lots of room in the machine so the laundry powder or liquid can get right into the fibres of the fabric and give them a good clean.
- Doonas
Your cosy and warm doona should be washed at least every 6 months.
Not a lot of washing machines can accommodate a full doona.
If you’re lucky enough to one large enough to tackle the task, use low temperature at the gentlest of washes.
If you find your washing machine doesn’t quite have enough room, try handwashing it in the bath.
Afterwards, tumble dry or put it on the washing line to dry.
- Blankets
If you sleep with your blanket very night, wash it every few weeks to stop the build up of oils and sweat from your body.
For those blankets in guest rooms or other areas which only get used infrequently, 3 times a year will do well.
When you place it in the machine, put the laundry liquid in, then blanket in as you would any other load.
Use the coldest and gentlest setting.
Once your rinse load starts, put in the fabric softener to keep them light fluffy and oh so snuggly.
- Towels
Your towels should be washed once a week at a minimum.
If you shower or bath more than once a day, aim for twice a week.
Hand towels and tea towels should be washed three times a week.
White and towels light in colour do best with the hot water setting.
The hot water temperature assists in brightening their shade and cleaning them.
The darker towels do better in warm water, as this not only kills germs, but also assist in keeping the colours.
Your lovely prized Turkish towels Australia needs to be treated a little more carefully, and can be washed on a gentle setting in warm or cold water.
They don’t need a lot of detergent, in fact it’s an idea to use less to avoid getting them hard and not fleecy and soft as a towel should be.
Hang them on the line to dry afterwards.
- Satin Fabrics
Satin material requires a kinder approach.
Only ever wash by hand or on the delicate cycle as the material is quite fragile.
Use cold water and avoid harsh chemicals and detergents.
If you decide to hand wash it instead, let it soak in some soapy water for a few minutes before carefully and lightly getting rid of the excess water and rinsing it in cold water.
Avoid using a dryer.
Instead lie the satin piece on a towel and roll the towel up with the satin inside and apply light pressure to dry it.
- Wool
For woollen garments, use the delicate or hand wash cycle with cold water and a gentle detergent.
Turn the clothes inside out and don’t use the dryer.
The dryer will shrink your woollen artefact.
Another option is to hand wash your treasured possession.
As with silk, use a gentle detergent and soak the article first.
Be sure to turn it inside out and swirl it around and let it sit for 10 minutes.
Rinse to get all the suds out and dry as above with the silk material.
Dry wool with it laying flat on a towel
- Undergarments
Most underwear, even bras and lacy underpants will survive a normal wash in the machine just fine.
Some may require handwashing and this is usually indicated in their label.
Put delicate pants and bras in a bra bag or pillow case.
This will help stop snagging and pulling whilst being cleaned in the machine.
If you hang your items up to dry, never hang a bra from the sides where the strap is as this will stretch it.
Hang bras from the middle and underpants with to pegs, one on each side.
- Pillows
Our pillows are quite often forgotten about when it comes to washing.
We sleep on them every night, and they collect a lot of dirt, grime, sweat and residue.
If you look closely, your pillow actually has a use by or replacement date.
Wash your pillow at least 4 times a year.
The initial step is to get rid of all the surface dust and particles with a vacuum cleaner.
Spot clean it with a damp cloth and detergent.
If your pillow is manufactured from polyester, put it in the machine in warm water on gentle cycle and go easy on the soap
Barry Lachey is a Professional Editor at Zobuz. Previously He has also worked for Moxly Sports and Network Resources “Joe Joe.” He is a graduate of the Kings College at the University of Thames Valley London. You can reach Barry via email or by phone.
